thieves hit N Suites YOU MAY be a victim of crime and not even know it. By Anna Marie D’Angelo News Reporter The North Vancouver RCMP are currently investi- gating the apparent wide- spread theft from apartment mailboxes in the Lower Lonsdale area. A North Vancouver man and woman were arrested on Feb, 22 and face charges in connection with the thefts, which police believe may be the work of an organized criminal ring of mail thieves. The police recovered stolen identification, credit vards and Canadian Government cheques in con- nection with the arrests. “Is hard ta say now exactly how much money was involved.” said Cpl. Gene Slobod. The stolen credit cards were used at banks and retail outlets. The police believe a group of people, including the two arrested, acquired Canada Post pass keys that vin be used to get into apart ment buildings and open apartment mailboxes. Mail is then stolen trom residents, who are unaware shat they have been victim- “ized, said Slobod. “it's impossible to avoid being a victim in these cir- cumstances,” said Slobod. He said an carly investi- gition indicates that most of the thefts occurred within it four- or five-block radius near Lonsdale Avenue and Ist, 2nd and 3rd streets. The police credit a North Vancouver resident who was “obviously thinking on her feet” for helping catch two _ of the ‘suspected mail thieves. - The woman was phoned ~by an unknown man who said he had her airline tickets and wished to return them, The man intimated that his good deed deserved a finan- cial reward'of $100, accard- ing to the police. The woman assumed dur- ing the phone conversation that her-tickets had been stolen from her mail. She told the caller that’ she didn’t have the money at the time and asked the man to call back the next day. In the meantime she contacted the police, who intercepted the transaction. Slobod said the detach- ment has received many complaints from residents who believe items were ' stolen from their mailboxes. Slobod said apartment mailbox thieves wait for “the right time and take seconds” to pilferage mail. He said the mailbox thefts also involved other areas of the North Shore and Burnaby. CALL US: 983-2208 CATS Creve NEWS photo Mike Wakelield NORTH VANCOUVER secondary school students, who recently toured Capilano College, listen as David Street presents his Education Promoting stage show. The audio-visual session stressed the importance of post-secondary education. WV ratepayers tell council that residents are fed up with tax increases WEST VANCOUVER ratepayer groups met with local district council Wednesday night to demand that the municipality’s 1994 budget be cut by 5% or, at the very least, include no increase. By Maureen Curtis Contributing Writer They demanded the cuts despite a provisional budget proposed by the municipality that includes a 1.5% municipal tax increase for 1994, The budget would raise $30,529,300 for municipal use, an actual 2.5% increase over 1993, offset by 1% revenue in new taxa- tion raised from new developmeni. West Vancouver Director of Finance George Horwood stressed that the budget is based on a zero increase in last year’s $3,213,600 capital expenditure. Built into the provisional budget is 2 3% increase in police wages, a‘ 2% increase in fire protection wuges, and a contingency for future wage settlements for other unions. Meanwhile, revenue is down in the municipality, some services cost 7% more in provincial taxes than they did last year and gas rates und other utilities are up. West Vancouver District Council tries to follow the inflation rate (Vancouver's was 3.6% in 1993) with its lax increases, But ratepayers were not satisfied with the 1.5 % increase. “The taxpayers of West Vancouver cannot and will sot accept any more tax increases,” said Elaine Fonseca of the Ambleside and = Dundarave Ratepayers. Added Ron Baldry of the same assuciation, “There is an over- whelming demand from the peus- ants who want you to look at this and cut tixes — and don't be frightened because you have the backing of the peaple.” He recommended a freeze on all non-union salaries, a freeze on hir- ing, and a 5% cut in the 1993 bud- gel. Baldry also called for the elimi- nation of all discretionary spending aad all community grants (except youth-oriented) and the disposal of West Vancouver's “Porsche” image, Although a significant portion of the budget is tied up in union-nego- tiated salaries, Chuck Walker of the Ambfeside Villuge Business Association urged council to some- how “take control of this throttle.” “Small businessmen in West Vancouver are working for noth- ing,” he said. Instead of supporting cultural groups, Walker said the municipali- iy should “sell cookies like the kids do.” Victor Durman of the Caulfeitd Ratepayers told council lo sell the houses it has been buying on the Ainbleside waterfront for public and park use and raise the price of services the municipality supplies, Meanwhile, West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce representi- tive Gordon Pearmain told council to “get in touch with the real world” by hiring floaters and buying sec- ond-hand equipment. But West 9 Vancouver's Municipal Manager Doug Allan said West Vancouver already pur- chases used equipmem — his own office chair. for instiuce. Bill Irwin, 84. of the Ambleside Village Business Association, com- plained that local merchants are ; starving. “A vast number of senior citi- zeus are leaving this community in tears (because they can't afford 10 live in West Vuncouver).” said Irwin, who has lived-in West Vancouver since 1946. West Vancouver Coun, Ron Woad asked everyone to remember where the actual tax increases origi- nate. Even though last year’s municipal budget increase was only about 1.6%, local taxpayers were hit by an average tax increase of approximately 23%, which Wood said resulted from “downloading from the provincial government.” Some individual budget items of . concern to the ratepayer groups included: § $813,000 in paid sick leave accu- mulated in the municipality in 1993: 1993 legal costs that were higher than council's own stipends and costs: 8 expenditures on studies: ® upgrading of municipal hall equipment; the hiring of an assistant to the municipal arborist. Kids desecrate cemetery SEVEN 11-YEAR-OLDS vandal- ized the North Vancouver Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon, knocking down two tombstones, smashing vases and stealing the tombstone from a six-year-old’s grave, y Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reparter : A heart-shaped stone and pink elephant adornment were stoten trom the child’s grave during the wrecking spree.at the cemetery. said North Vancouver RCMP Const. Wayne Knapman, The heart-shaped stone was sub- sequently recovered from one of the t1-year-olds. “They threw the elephant in the garbage and we couldn't find it.” said Knapman. Police were alerted to the crime on Wednesday evening by the father of one of the culprits. THIS WEEK’S QUESTION: Is an $11 million cost justified for anew NVD municipal hall? The children tive near the cen-2- tery. Because all are under the age of 12, they cannot be charged with any offence. North Vancouver City (NVC) works yard foreman Dan Robinson said vandalism at the cemetery hap- pens all too often. “If it happens once a year, that’s too much. It’s always an outrage,” said Robinson. NVC workers erected the downed tombstenes on Thursday, said Knapman. ; The tombstones are located in the okt part of the cemetery. Vases were smashed and flowers were destroyed in the newer section of the cemetery on Lillooet Road. A police investigator has since spoken to the children involved and Meir parents about the incident. said Knapman. He said it is difficult to say if anyone will pay for the damage caused.